Paul on Instagram: My Trip To Damascus (Episode 2)

I know you must have been surprised by some of the changes you’ve noticed on my Instagram account. First I have been away for days. Secondly, my Instagram handle has changed from @KingSaul_thepersecutor to @Saint_Paul.

I had to change my name because on observing my life these past few days, I noticed that I had become a darker version of myself. The wickedness and vileness in my heart gave me a deep hatred for Christians and an insatiable lust for their demise. It seems to me I took on the character traits of a particular King of Israel whom I was named after. He sought to kill David and anyone who posed the minutest threat to his throne.

The name is not actually the main issue. What I am about to tell you still drives shivers through my spine. Oh my God! Where do I start?

Okay, so shortly after my last post, I went to the High Priest and he didn’t keep me waiting in his office. I got the letter of permission right there and immediately I set my team together for our journey to Damascus. I had shared with you in my last post the aim of my travel.

We were approaching the city when all of a sudden a light from heaven flashed around me. I hit me to the ground. While I still laid on the ground trying to make sense of what just happened, I heard a voice speak to me. It was the voice of a man. It was clear and piercing.

“Saul! Saul! Why are you opposing me? It is hard for you to go against what you know is right”, the voice said.

While this was happening I couldn’t see anything around me because of the brightness of the light.In that moment, somehow, I knew it wasn’t a human talking to me, but who or what was this?

So I asked, “Who are you?” and the voice responded, “I am Jesus. I am the one you are opposing. Now get up and stand on your feet. I have appeared to you to appoint you to serve me. And you must tell other people about me. You must also tell them that I will show myself to you again. I will save you from your own people and from the Gentiles. I am sending you to them to open their eyes. I want you to turn them from Satan’s power to God. I want their sons to be forgiven. They will be forgiven when they believe in me. They will have their place among God’s people.”

While all this was happening I was still on the ground trembling. Then He said, “Now get up and go into the city. There you will be told what you must do.”

Was I hallucinating? Was I drugged with cocaine? I don’t think so. I have never done drugs, and that morning when we left, I felt perfectly sober. This had never happened to me in my entire life.

The amazing thing is that the men traveling with me stood around wondering what was going on. They weren’t able to speak. They heard sounds, but didn’t see anyone or know what was said. So I got up from the ground, opened my eyes, but couldn’t see anything thing. I almost went berserk.

The men with me still had their sight. I was the only one who lost his, so they led me by the hand into Damascus. For three days I was I was blind. I refused to eat or drink anything. I became depressed and remorseful. Here was I, with a mission to arrest Christians in Damascus, now sitting in an unknown room, blind and feeling miserable.

Not long afterwards, I heard a knock on the door. Mind you, I was still in Damascus blind without food or water. A man had come to visit me. His name was Ananias. I was in shock when he said his name because I had a short vision where a man walked up to me, said his name was Ananias, then placed his hands on my eyes so I could see again.

Now here is the same man standing in my very face. He placed his hands on me as it happened in the vision, and then said, “Brother Saul, you saw the Lord Jesus. He appeared to you on the road as you were coming here. He sent me so that you will be able to see again. You will be filled with the Holy Spirit.”

Right away something like scales fell from my eyes and I could see again. I got up rejoicing. That very hour I got baptized, had a meal and got my energy back.

Going back to Jerusalem is now a different ball game. The High-priest and my sponsors are waiting to receive my reports on how my trip went. I wonder how they will take the news of what has just happened to me.

I just blocked all the phariseees, sadducees and scribes following me on Instagram.Next week friday I’ll give you updates on what transpired.

I love you for reading.

Please I would love to read your comments and your words of encouragement.

About the author

In 2011, Chibuzor Agomuoh founded The SunRise Youth Intervention Organisation.

With over a decade of professional experience in youth development, he has initiated impactful projects such as:

1) The SunRise School Tour
Which is documented to reach over 53,000 youth in Nigeria and Ethiopia.

2. The SunRise Academy for Young Leaders

3. The SunRise Convo with Chibuzor( a radio talk show).

4. The SunRise Business Innovation Challenge/Tech Innovation Summit.

5. Critical Conversations, Nigeria

6. www.sunrisegospelzone.com, amongst others.

Chibuzor has a degree in Human Physiology from the University of Calabar. Amongst other locally and internationally recognized certifications, he has a certificate in Advanced Leadership from the Daystar Leadership Academy, Lagos and studied Civic Leadership at Appalachian State University, North Carolina.

He is a recipient of several awards and recognitions, including being awarded “Honorary Citizen of Boone” by the Mayor of Boone, North Carolina.

He is 2018 Mandela Washington Fellow by the United States Department of State, and a 2019 IREX Youth Essential Skills Trainer.
He is also a serving Pastor.

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About Us

Since 2011, The SunRise Youth Intervention Organization has helped in creating a trajectory towards success for hundreds of young people in Nigeria and across the world. This is made possible through various programs.

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